Helping Kids Brush Up On Oral Care Habits (NAPSA)—According to a Surgeon General’s report, American kids are facing a silent oral health epidemic. A recent survey conducted by Crest SpinBrush, revealed that 61 percent of kids brush for one minute or less and 41 percent only once a dayorless. Actress Holly Robinson Peete, mother of three, found ways to encourage herchildren to follow an optimaloral health routine. “As a child I wasterrified of the dentist, and I never wanted my own children to have that same phobia,” says Peete. “So I developed my own personal strategy for encouraging my kids to feel good about caring for their smiles in every way. The secret is turning brushingtime into fun time.” “Many parents don’t realize that poor dental habits can have a serious effect on a child’s overall health and well-being,” says L.A. dentist Dr. Jennifer Holtzman. “The good newsis that prevention goes a long way. It is imperative that parents encourage their kids to brush for two minutes, twice a day andto floss daily.” Peete is vigilant about her kids’ oral care and shares sometips for getting kids to care for their smiles: Brush Along With a Song * “It’s easy to find a song that is two minutes or longer, which is about the amount of time that is recommended for kids to brush. I turn on an upbeat song that the kids love, and we brush for its duration to ensure we’re putting in the right amountof time.” Make Brushing Fun “Kids will brush for longer when they have fun doing it. My kids love using the new Crest SpinBrush for kids that comes in designs like cell phone, mermaid a A Oral care should be a family health priority. and racecar. It makes it easier for them to learn the appropriate brushing technique.” Brush Together “Kids take cues from their parents, so I set a good example and brush and floss with them daily. Parents reap the benefits later when their children begin brushing and flossing on their own.” Get Kids Ready for the Dentist “T’'m vigilant about taking my kids for a check-up every six months—andit is something they look forward to. I prepare them by giving them an idea of what they can expect through books, or role playing exercises.” Give Kids a Gold Star “T help my kids keep track of their brushing and flossing on a calendar by the sink with gold stars. At the end of each week, if they have the right amountof stars, we sometimes award a special prize.” “Setting my kids on the course to a healthy, beautiful smile for life is a big priority for me,” says Peete. “I make caring for their smiles as important as any other aspect of their health.” For moretips, call 1-877-2896322 to receive the Crest Healthy Smiles Parenting Guide or log onto www.crest.com.
